


Car Wash

by ElwritesFanworks



Series: Higgins wants the 'D' [3]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV)
Genre: Awkwardness, Bickering, Drabble, Frustration, M/M, Not Beta Read, Sexual Frustration, Unrequited Lust, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Wet Clothing Kink, everybody loves a sexy car wash, except higgins aparently, fanservice trope, or maybe it is requited, soapy sudsy sexy, we just don't know, yet another wet!magnum fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 08:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1462375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElwritesFanworks/pseuds/ElwritesFanworks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnum washes the Ferrari. Higgins is not pleased. Or maybe, he's too pleased. Bickering ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Car Wash

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to corral these drabbles into a sort of collection. not to say they're all interrelated, but the next one I do will be based off of this one, so I figured I should put them into a grouping.
> 
> Also this is not beta read, and my battery is dying, so my apologies for any glaring fuck-ups I've missed.

* * *

On a sunny, summer Saturday, Higgins decided that, without a shadow of a doubt, Thomas Magnum was trying to give him a heart attack.

There was no other explanation as to why he would feel the need to wash the Ferrari wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and an undershirt that clung to him like a second skin the moment it made contact with the copious supply of soapy water he was lathering all over the red finish of the automobile.

Higgins realized, dazedly, that he had been staring, his eyes glued to the muscled contours of the detective's strong back, when Magnum caught him at it and grinned.

"Hey, Higgins," he said, sounding absolutely chipper. "Nice day, isn't it?"

"What," Higgins began, but the word stuck in his throat and came out as a gurgle. He coughed and tried again. "What are you doing?"

Magnum grinned.

"What am I doing? Well, you see, I'm washing the Ferrari."

Higgins nodded, aware that his gaze was fixed on the near-transparent wet cloth that was covering Magnum's nipples.

"Why now?" he managed weakly. Magnum turned away, bending over, causing the muscled curves of his buttocks to shift and clench beneath his shorts, as he moved to pick up a bucket of water. He lifted it with ease and angled over the hood of the car. As it rinsed the suds away, he kept talking.

"It's a nice day. All this sun'll help it to dry faster."

"Hmm."

Higgins wiped his palms on his shirt unconsciously and swallowed.

"So, what do you want?" the detective said conversationally.

"Want? Why do you think I want something?" Higgins spat hastily. Magnum paused and turned around to look at him critically.

"So... you... don't want anything?"

"No, I..."

_Think, damn it._

"Would you, ah, like some help?"

Magnum's eyebrows soared upwards towards his hairline.

"You're offering?"

Higgins looked aghast for a moment before collecting himself enough to nod.

"It'll go faster that way. Then you can..."

"... yes?"

"Then you can get out of the driveway and make yourself scarce. It doesn't do to have the grounds looking like a blasted car wash."

Magnum furrowed his brow at that, but when Higgins glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest, the detective shrugged and, shaking his head in disbelief, picked up a wet sponge from the bucket. He held it out to the Brit, turning back to the car. Higgins took it gingerly, not enjoying the sensation of holding the warm, sodden material. Still, he couldn't back out now.

Walking around to the front of the car, Higgins got to work.

Surprisingly, he found that the labor helped. It distracted him from the mess of thoughts buzzing around inside his skull, and when he was busy trying to keep from getting his clothes wet, he forgot about Magnum's presence entirely. His thoughts had almost begun to drift to a concert he was hoping to go at the weekend when the detective cleared his throat and brought him back to the present.

"Did you say something?" he asked and Magnum nodded.

"Yeah, I said I'm done."

"Ah, of course."

Higgins was glad Magnum would be going in, drying off, hopefully putting on some long pants and a shirt that didn't cling so bloody much, and -

he was still standing there.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you. Look, it's not every day I get a favor from you - I don't want to ruin it by bailing when the job's half done."

Higgins tried to think of a reasonable argument to that as Magnum ambled over to his side of the car. When words failed him, he elected to stare at the sponge that was clenched tightly in his fist.

It was much harder to ignore the private investigator when he was standing less than a foot away, humming quietly to himself under his breath. Higgins made small, useless circles with the sponge, and he found himself fixated with the feeble little motions.

He managed to keep his head until Magnum reached around him to dunk his rag in the bucket of water and his arm brushed Higgins's back.

"Damn it, Magnum, this is intolerable!"

Magnum pulled back, looking surprised.

"What is?"

Higgins set down the sponge and took a step back towards the Estate. Magnum's hand reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder, and he stiffened.

"What is?" Magnum repeated.

Higgins inhaled sharply, grit his teeth, and shrugged off the grip.

"You know what is," he muttered. "What you're doing -"

"What am I doing?"

"You know bloody well what you're doing!"

"No, I don't!" Magnum shouted. "Damn it, Higgins, what the hell has gotten into you lately? Look, I don't know what I did to piss you off, but you're blowing it way out of proportion!"

Higgins reeled around, his eyes blazing.

"I'm blowing out of proportion, am I? Tell me, Magnum, did it ever occur to you that not everyone shares your sense of humor?"

"Sense of - what are you talking about?"

"This! You - you're... goading me."

"Goading you? What do you mean I'm goading you?"

Magnum was angry now, even hurt, and it showed in his face and his voice.

"I should've known better than to think we could just be civil for once! Here I am, thinking you're doing me a favor, and -"

"And what?"

"And it turns into this! Whatever this is! You know what? Forget it! I'm going for a swim!"

Magnum stormed off in a huff, leaving Higgins standing by the Ferrari, holding the damned sponge in his hand. It wasn't serious - he knew that. Magnum was merely leaving to keep the bickering from turning into an actual argument. Higgins knew, and yet, he was gripped with a frustration and anger that shocked him. He was half-tempted to follow Magnum and tell him exactly what the problem was - but that was out of the question. He knew that too.

Gritting his teeth, Higgins threw the sponge into the bucket roughly, taking satisfaction in the resounding splash.


End file.
